Jan. 3, 2014 - 06:00AM
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The Defense Department has removed 20 areas from its list of locations that qualify for imminent danger pay, effective June 1, potentially affecting tens of thousands of troops.

As of that date, service members deployed to these areas no longer will qualify for the $225 monthly imminent danger stipend. The change would affect thousands serving on land or on ships in those areas.

As of July, 2,820 troops were stationed in Bahrain, one of the areas that no longer qualifies.

This is DoD’s first review of imminent danger pay locations since 2007, according to a DoD announcement.

Those locations that no longer will be designated as imminent danger areas are:

■ The four water areas of the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, and the Red Sea.

■ The water area and air space above the Persian Gulf.

■ The six land areas and air space above Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro.

■ The nine land areas of East Timor, Liberia, Haiti, Oman, Rwanda, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, Kyrgystan and Uzbekistan.

Defense officials conducted a periodic review and recertification of the imminent danger pay areas in coordination with the joint staff, combatant commands and military services, according to the announcement.

“Periodic recertification of IDP ensures that imminent danger designations match the actual conditions of designated countries so that the department can provide fair entitlements and benefits,” according to the announcement.

Imminent danger pay will continue for Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Jordan, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen and Egypt within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

The pay is prorated at $7.50 per day when a service member spends less than a full month in a qualifying area.